Highly active Ni2P/SiO2 catalysts phosphorized by triphenylphosphine in liquid phase for the hydrotreating reactions

A highly loaded and dispersed 60%Ni/SiO2 was phosphorized with PPh3 at 443 K in liquid phase to form a Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst with the high surface area (220 m2/g) and uniformly dispersed Ni2P nano-particles (∼6 nm). It thus possessed great amount of surface active sites of Ni2P as titrated by the adsorption of CO (324 (mol/g). Accordingly, the catalyst was highly active for the reactions of hydrodesulphurization of dibenzothiophene and hydrogenation of tetralin to decalin in a model diesel.